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Writing / Research Tip Tuesday #22

I have Ann Finkelstein back on the blog today with another great research tip. Please stop by her blog Words and Pixels, read her fabulous posts, and marvel at her beautiful photography.

Here's Ann~

"Travel blogs often contain a wealth of information about setting, especially for rustic locations. I’ve found photos, descriptions of smells, sights and sounds, even travel times. Bloggers list the problems they’ve encountered and warn other travelers what to look out for.

If your novel is set in a place with distinctive local architecture, realtor websites can provide useful details about what houses and yards look like. The prices hint at the economic conditions of the area."


I love this tip, Ann. I tend to head straight for Wiki and general travel sites. I bet travel blogs have so much more in depth and random info to offer. And I never thought to check out local realty for research! Fabulous!

16 comments:

Linda Maye Adams said...

Also, if it's a real place, you can visit the local newspaper's website to get a feel for what happens inthe community.

Heather Kelly said...

This is a great tip--one that I wouldn't have considered! Great idea!

Unknown said...

That is a great tip!

J.A. Palermo said...

Thanks, Casey. Great tip.

Racquel Henry said...

This is a wonderful idea!

Laura said...

I actually did this to find out what Iceland is really like in December. The most helpful research information I found was a a blog from a lady who moved there from the US. Not only did she have pictures, she explained the social climate as well as the weather.

Elana Johnson said...

Great tip! I've never done this.

Robin Dodd Photography said...

This is an excellent tip!!

Unknown said...

Great tip -- and one I need to use for my new wip. Thanks!

Lisa Nowak said...

Wow, great ideas! So far I haven't needed to know what another place was like (I've lived in the places I write about) but sometimes I need to recall what something looks like in a town I no longer live in. For that I use Google Earth.

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

makes me want to travel :)

Roz Morris aka @Roz_Morris . Blog: Nail Your Novel said...

Great tip! I also read guidebooks set in the area, and other novels if they exist. Anything to immerse me in the culture and feel of a place.

kathrynjankowski said...

Wonderful tip. Thanks!

Rebecca Gomez said...

Great tip! I'll definitely remember this the next time I need to research a setting.

Anonymous said...

Great tip!
Olive

Chris said...

What an excellent tip! I think this is very important, especially if you are setting your work in a different region within the United States. There are very different mindsets in the Midwest vs. the East Coast vs. the West Coast. This is a great place to start uncovering those differences.